How to MakeBraided Bread

How to bake challah, sweet breads,stuffed breads and more

Recipes and Techniques

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Prepared Pantry

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How to Make Braided Bread

It’s so fun to braid bread—and it’s fun toimpress your friends with the results.

And it’s easy to braid bread. If you canmake bread, you can braid bread.

Over the years, we’ve acquired somereally great recipes—maybe some of ourfavorite bread recipes. We’ll show youjust how easy it is and share theserecipes with you.

You can braid bread to make challahwhich is usually egg and butter rich. You can also make stuffed bread. The chocolatebraided bread and the New York bagel bread are absolutely outstanding.

Happy baking!

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The material herein is published by The Prepared Pantry for the private use of individuals and may not be used forcommercial purposes without the express consent of the publisher. The information contained herein is believed accuratebut the publisher makes no warranties, express or implied, and the recipient is using this information at his or her ownrisk.

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How to Make Braided Bread

Table of Contents

Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................... 3

How to Braid Bread.................................................................................................................. 4

How to Bake Easy Challah ...................................................................................................... 5

Mini Challah Loaves ................................................................................................................ 7

Sweet Chocolate Braided Bread ............................................................................................. 8

New York Bagel Bread .......................................................................................................... 10

Stuffed Bread: Italian Filled Bread ......................................................................................... 11

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How to Braid Bread

You can braid nearly any bread—including your favorite recipe. We oftengrab a mix—that makes it even easier.

Follow the package directions. You canset your bread machine to the doughcycle and mix the bread in the machineor you can use your stand-type mixer. Ifthe resulting dough is too sticky tohandle, knead in just a bit of extra flour.

For challah, consider our Sally LunnBread Mix. This is a rich, fine texturedbread much like challah.

Place the bread dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled—about 1 1/2hours.

Prepare a large baking sheet by greasing and sprinkling with cornmeal. Use a lightercolored sheet to help keep the bottomfrom burning.

Once raised, use a knife to divide thedough into three equal pieces (or four ifyou choose to make a four-braid bread).Roll the pieces under the palms of yourhands into three long ropes as shown.You may need to let each rest for five toten minutes to allow the dough to relaxto get the proper shape. Using this mix,you should have three ropes nearly 24-inches long. If you want the loaf to belarger in the center and less rectangular shaped, make the ropes thicker in the middleand tapered toward the ends.

Braid the three ropes as shown in a common three strand braid just as if you werebraiding pigtails. (Some people find it easier to create a symmetrical shape if they startbraiding from the center.) When you get to the ends, wet them, pinch them together,and tuck them under. You should have a neat, symmetrical loaf when you are through.You can shape the loaf somewhat with your hands. If you don't like how the loaf looks,simply pull the braids apart and start again.

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Place the finished loaf on the prepared sheet. (The formed loaf will be about 12-incheslong but after rising and baking, you will have a finished loaf of about 24-inches so besure to allow room on your sheet for expansion.) Cover the loaf and let rise untildoubled, about one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare a glaze by whisking one egg with one-half tablespoon of water. Just beforebaking and when the loaf has fully doubled, remove the plastic wrap and gently brushglaze over the entire surface of the loaf. Sprinkle the top with poppy seeds or sesameseeds if desired. (Tip the loaf so that you can sprinkle seeds on the sides as well.)

Bake the bread for 20 minutes then cover the bread with a large sheet of aluminum foilto protect the top. Continue baking for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the bread crustis a deep golden brown. The interior of the loaf should register 190 degrees with aninsta-read thermometer.

Use a spatula to loosen the bread from the pan and transfer the loaf to a wire rack tocool.

How to Bake Easy Challah

While challah is a traditional bread baked for the Jewish Sabbath, it has become popularwith everyone, everywhere. It'sattractive and has a firm, egg-richtexture that works for dinner,sandwiches, or French toast. It istypically braided with three, four, or sixstrands of dough. (The braided strandsare symbolic of love.)

Challah is really very easy to make,especially from a mix. There is a senseof satisfaction in working the dough byhand and crafting such an attractivebread and it certainly will impressguests.

For this bread, we used one of our bread mixes substituting eggs for part of the water—but you can start your favorite recipe. The package directions called for two cups ofwater. To make the dough egg-rich, we cracked two large eggs into a measuring cupand added warm water--enough to total two cups. Whisk the water and eggs togetherwith a fork then heat it in the microwave until warm (110 degrees).

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Mix the bread according to package instructions using the egg and water mixture. Placethe bread dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled—about 1 1/2hours. An egg-rich bread will take a little longer to rise.

Prepare a large baking sheet by greasing and sprinkling with cornmeal. Use a lightercolored sheet to help keep the bottom from burning.

Once raised, use a knife to divide the dough into three equal pieces (or four if youchoose to make a four-braid bread). Roll the pieces under the palms of your hands intothree long ropes as shown. You may need to let each rest for five to ten minutes toallow the dough to relax to get the proper shape. Using this mix, you should have threeropes nearly 24-inches long. If you want the loaf to be larger in the center and lessrectangular shaped, make the ropes thicker in the middle and tapered toward the ends.

Braid the three ropes as shown in a common three strand braid just as if you werebraiding pigtails. (Some people find it easier to create a symmetrical shape if they startbraiding from the center.) When you get to the ends, wet them, pinch them together,and tuck them under. You should have a neat, symmetrical loaf when you are through.You can shape the loaf somewhat with your hands. If you don't like how the loaf looks,simply pull the braids apart and start again.

Place the finished loaf on the prepared sheet. (The formed loaf will be about 12-incheslong but after rising and baking, you will have a finished loaf of about 24-inches so besure to allow room on your sheet for expansion.) Cover the loaf and let rise untildoubled, about one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare a glaze by whisking one egg with one-half tablespoon of water. Just beforebaking and when the loaf has fully doubled, remove the plastic wrap and gently brushglaze over the entire surface of the loaf. Sprinkle the top with poppy seeds or sesameseeds as desired. (Tip the loaf so that you can sprinkle seeds on the sides as well.)

Bake the bread for 20 minutes then cover the bread with a large sheet of aluminum foilto protect the top. Continue baking for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the bread crustis a deep golden brown. The interior of the loaf should register 190 degrees with aninsta-read thermometer.

Use an egg turner to loosen the bread from the pan and transfer the loaf to a wire rack tocool.

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Mini Challah Loaves

This recipe is different—the dough is made in twostages: a sponge and then the final dough.Additionally, the bread is made in loaf pans, notfreestanding. The sponge is merely a very wetdough that the yeast can percolate in. After theyeast grows, the rest of the flour is added for adough of conventional consistency.

This makes a gorgeous lemon colored bread andthe egg wash makes the braided bread brownbeautifully on top.

For the sponge

1 7 gram packet active dry yeast1 cup warm water3 tablespoons honey1 cup all bread flour

1. Combine yeast and warm water in a medium bowl. Stir in honey and flour to forma wet dough of batter consistency.

2. Cover the dough with plastic film and allow it to rise in a warm place for 20 to 30minutes or until bubbles begin to form.

For the dough

2 large eggs1 large egg yolk2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 1/2 teaspoons salt2 1/2 cups bread flour1/2 teaspoon dough conditioner (optional)

Directions

1. Whisk the eggs, egg yolk, oil and salt together.2. Add the flour and dough conditioner to the sponge mixture. Add the egg

mixture. Mix well until the eggs are mixed in.3. Knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. Place dough in an oiled bowl and

turn to cover top with oil. Cover with plastic film and let it rise at room temp forone more hour or until doubled.

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1. Turn the dough onto a lightly oiled or floured surface. Divide dough into fourballs. Divide each ball into three balls and roll into ropes about six inches long.

2. Braid the ropes, pinching the ends together. Place in greased loaf pans (four 3 x5 1/2-inch pans). Cover and let the bread rise in the pans until doubled in sizeand soft and puffy.

3. Whisk an egg, an egg yolk, and one tablespoon warm water together to make anegg wash and brush it over the loaves gently. Immediately bake at 350 degreesfor 15 minutes or until done. The internal temperature of the bread should reach190 degrees.

Baker’s notes: The braid does not need to be perfect, it will all even out as it rises andbakes.

Sweet Chocolate Braided Bread

For this recipe, we made a chocolatedough and a chocolate cream cheesefilling. After baking, we drizzled thebread with a chocolate cream cheeseglaze. This is an absolutely scrumptiouschocolate bread—maybe our bestchocolate bread ever.

Use the directions for braiding breadfound elsewhere in this section.

This recipe can be doubled.

Ingredients

3 to 3 1/2 cups bread flour1 packet instant active dry yeast3/4 cup water, heated to 110 degrees1/3 cup brown sugar1/3 cup cocoa4 tablespoons butter1/2 teaspoon salt1 large egg at room temperature

For the filling

5 ounces cream cheese1 ounce semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted3 tablespoons granulated sugar2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

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1 egg yolk1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Chocolate glaze directions follows.

Directions

1. Mix about one cup of the flour, the yeast, and the heated water until smooth. Thiswill hydrate the instant yeast. If you are using other than instant yeast, hydratethe yeast separately.

2. Add the brown sugar, cocoa, butter, salt, and egg and mix. Add enough of theremaining bread flour to make a soft but not tacky dough. Knead until the glutenis developed, about four minutes with a stand-type mixer at medium speed. Setthe dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it stand until doubled, about onehour.

3. To make the filling, beat the cream cheese until soft and smooth. Add the meltedchocolate while it is still hot and mix until smooth. Add the sugar, flour, egg yolk,vanilla, and nutmeg and mix until smooth.

4. Once the dough has risen, use a knife to divide the dough into three equalpieces. Roll the dough pieces with a rolling pin to rectangles 15 inches by 5inches. Spread one-third of the filling down the center of each leaving a one-inchborder with no filling. Roll the rectangle into fifteen-inch long ropes with the fillinginside. Pinch any seams together and roll the ropes with your hands on thecounter until smooth.

5. Braid the three ropes as if you were braiding pigtails. (Some people find it easierto create a symmetrical shape if they start braiding from the center.) When youget to the ends, wet them, pinch them together, and tuck them under. You shouldhave a neat, symmetrical loaf when you are through. You can shape the loafsomewhat with your hands. If you don't like how the loaf looks, simply pull thebraids apart and start again. Prepare a large baking sheet by greasing it andsprinkling it with cornmeal. Place the loaf on the pan, cover the loaf, and let it riseuntil doubled, about one hour.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the bread for 20 minutes then cover thebread with a large sheet of aluminum foil and bake for another ten to fifteenminutes to until done. The bread should “thump” when tapped on the bottom andthe interior of the loaf should register 190 degrees with an insta-readthermometer. Let the bread cool on a wire rack.

7. While the bread is cooling, make the glaze. With a hand-held mixer, beat oneounce cream cheese with one teaspoon vanilla. Add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugarand 2 tablespoons cocoa with enough warm water to make a glaze of drizzlingconsistency. Drizzle the chocolate glaze generously over the bread.

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Baker’s notes: To quickly bring an egg to room temperature, place it in a cup of warmwater.

New York Bagel Bread

You can make wonderful bagel breadwith this recipe. While we made thisbread with a bread machine mix, youcan use a recipe of your own. Select alean bread recipe, that is, a recipe thatcalls for no eggs and a minimum amountof oil or butter. The bread should not besweet so choose a recipe with minimalsugar.

Directions:

Mix the dough according to recipedirections but use only two tablespoons of oil--either olive or vegetable oil. If the dough istoo wet to handle, add another tablespoon or two of flour. Grease a large bowl. Removethe dough to the bowl and turn once to coat both sides. Cover and let rise until doubled,usually over an hour.

Prepare a large cookie or baking sheet by greasing and sprinkling with cornmeal. Thesheet should be at least 20 inches long.

Turn the risen dough out onto acountertop. Divide the dough with asharp knife into two parts, one piecetwice as large as the other. Divide boththe larger and smaller piece into threeequals pieces so that you have sixpieces of dough. Roll the pieces on thecounter under your palms to form ropesabout an inch in diameter. The largerropes should be 18 to 20 inches long;the smaller ropes about 16 inches.

Braid the longer ropes together and thesmaller ropes together in three strand braids as shown. Pinch the ends together to keepthe braids from unraveling as the dough rises. Place the larger braid on the sheet andcenter the smaller braid on top of the larger. Cover with plastic and let rise until welldoubled and very puffy, about another hour.

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Place two tablespoons water and two tablespoons of oil in a bowl. Chop one mediumonion and add it to the oil and water mixture. Add 2 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds and1/4 teaspoon garlic powder to the mixture. Stir and let sit while the dough rises.

In a cup, create an egg wash by mixing one egg yolk with one tablespoon water andstirring with a fork or whisk until well mixed.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Once the dough has risen, brush the loaf with the eggwash to coat. Spoon the topping on the loaf as shown. Sprinkle the loaf with course saltand place the bread in the oven.

Bake the loaf for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Turn the temperature down to 350 degreesand loosely cover the top of the loaf with aluminum foil to keep from burning the topping.Bake for another 15 minutes. Remove the loaf from the oven and check for doneness. Ifyou have a thermometer, the center of the loaf should test 200 degrees. Turn the ovenoff and place the loaf back in the oven for five minutes without the aluminum foil cover.The last five minutes in the oven will develop a thicker crust. Cool on a wire rack beforeslicing.

Stuffed Bread: Italian Filled Bread

Think pizza in a loaf. You can stuff this attractive braided bread with almost anythingthat you would put on a pizza. We'llshow you how to make one of ourfavorites but make whatever suits yourfancy.

Stuffed Tuscany Tomato Basil Bread

The convenient way to make this breadis with our Tuscany Tomato Basil BreadMix, but you can use your favorite plainwhite bread recipe. If you are makingthis bread from a recipe, use a two loafrecipe and mix according to directions.Add two tablespoon dried crushed basil during the mixing. (If you are making this fromour mix, follow the directions but set the dried tomatoes aside and use slightly less thanthe two cups of water called for. The dried tomatoes soak up some water so using lessthan the directions call for is appropriate.) Place the bread dough in an oiled bowl, turnonce, and cover to let rise until doubled.

Use the following recipe for the filling. Stuffed bread recipes lend themselves tocustomization so add or substitute ingredients according to your taste.

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Stuffed Tuscany Tomato Basil Bread Filling (for two loaves)

1 cup sliced sun dried tomatoes (one packet if you are using our mix)1 six ounce can of pitted black olives, drained and chopped or 1/2 pound Italiansausage, sautéed1/2 medium sized onion, diced or 1/2 red or green bell pepper, diced1/2 tablespoon crushed oregano, Italian seasonings, or other seasonings of choice1/4 teaspoon pepper2 cups grated mozzarella cheese2 tablespoons grated cheese for topping

Directions:

Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle itwith cornmeal or semolina flour.

1. Place the dried tomatoes in abowl with barely enough water tocover. Cover with plastic andmicrowave for one minute onhigh heat. Let the tomatoessteep in the hot water for severalminutes. Drain the tomatoes andpat dry with a paper towel.

2. Mix all the filling ingredientstogether in a large bowl.

3. Once the dough has risen, divide it into two equal parts for two loaves. Roll onepart into a rectangle about 12 inches by 15 inches. Slice the dough into one inchwide fringed ribbons as shown inthe picture leaving the centerone-third unsliced. Make surethere is an equal number ofslices on each side. Place halfthe filling on the dough center.Fold up the bottom edge oneinch and then beginning foldingthe ribbons over the filling,lapping them alternately asshown. When you near the top,fold the top one inch down alongwith two of the ribbon pieces.Finish folding over the ribbon pieces. Cup the ends of the loaf in your palms andcompress the loaf into an oblong, well-shaped loaf. Put the loaf on the preparedpan, and cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with the other loaf. Let the loaves riseuntil doubled, about an hour in a warm kitchen.

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4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

5. 5. Whisk one egg with one tablespoon water. Just before baking, brush the topof the loaves with the egg wash.

6. Bake for thirty minutes or until done. As soon as you remove the bread from theoven, sprinkle the tops with the remaining grated cheese so that it will partiallymelt on the loaves. If need be, return the loaves to the oven for a minute. Coolthe bread on wire racks.

Serve hot. Refrigerate any leftovers. This bread can also be frozen.